Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Pasta with Garlic, Scallions, Cauliflower & Bread Crumbs

I was stuck at home all day yesterday, while we were having some work done on the house (we were getting central air conditioning installed; I can't live on cold cucumber avocado soup all summer!). Because we'd been away for a few days beforehand, we didn't really have much in the way of food. So I had to throw something together from what we had on hand. I call it "shopping your pantry." That's how this pasta dish was born.

Pasta and bread crumbs may sound a bit heavy to you. Actually, the bread crumbs are light and toasty and add a nice crunch. Plus, the cauliflower (you know I'm obsessed with thiscruciferous delight) lends a non-carby element to balance this summery dish. I used frozen cauliflower, but feel free to use fresh. Just cut it into small pieces, so it'll cook through in the skillet; you may have to add a bit more liquid to cook it—use your judgement.

Ingredients

yield: we got two big bowls for dinner plus one small bowl that I consumed for breakfast

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat until foamy. Then add bread crumbs, tossing to coat in butter, until toasted and lightly browned. Remove from pan into small bowl; mix in cheese and about a tablespoon of the green scallion tops.

In the meantime, begin to prepare your pasta according to the directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, put about a tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan you used for the bread crumbs. Over medium heat, add the garlic, whites of the scallions, and cauliflower to the skillet. Saute until the cauliflower shows some caramelization. Then add the wine until the florets are tender-crisp. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

When pasta is just shy of al dente, reserve about a cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the skillet—still over medium heat—with the veggies and toss with some pasta water, as necessary (I added a little at a time; I ended up using about 1/2 cup), till the pasta is coated and turns easily. You may want to add another little drizzle of olive oil. Again, taste and season accordingly.

Put into serving bowls and top with the bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle some more scallion greens on top.

That's it! There's cauliflower in every bite. And that's a great thing.

18 comments:

I always have some kind of grain or pasta in the pantry, so as long as I have a vegetable somewhere in the fridge, I can shop the pantry too! By the way, your photos look great! They look more professional or something... Artful lighting, etc.

Good Morning :) just wanted to let you know that your post from last week's Manic Monday is feature this week. Come on by and share again http://bobbiskozykitchen.blogspot.com/2012/07/manic-monday-party-6.html

I did try it, with crumbs made from the focaccia we had for Monday night's supper. It was delicious. I've included a link to this post in my "What We Ate" blog post today. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

yes, always shop my pantry, just made some stuffed peppers with veggie/chick pea burgers and rice,peppers and red onions and topped with some mozzerella cheese, so good. call it kitchen magic. lol.such fun. pasta dish sounds great and also with brocclee too. :)

Featured Post

My husband and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day in a big way, with fancy dinners and jewelry. But we do make sure to carve o...

Full Belly Sisters

Justine and Flannery are sisters who share a passion for women's health. The Full Belly Sisters blog offers useful tools so that you can be healthy and informed while you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or just striving for balance in your life.

Full Belly Sisters (FBS) is a unique health venture for women before, during and after pregnancy, and well into parenthood. FBS services include breastfeeding instruction and support, private childbirth education classes, and one-on-one nutrition and wellness coaching. These programs are designed to be both holistic and complementary; they can be combined and customized to meet your needs.

We'd love to hear from you! Email us at fullbellysisters@gmail.com or "like" us on Facebook.